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AS the country grapples with food supply issues, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has assured President Ferdinand Marcos that Phnom Penh is ready to export more rice and other goods to Manila to ensure the latter’s food security.

The Cambodian state leader made the remark during his joint press conference with Marcos in Malacañang on Tuesday after the signing of eight Philippines-Cambodia Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on: taxes, information and communication technology (ICT), competition law, technical vocational education, trafficking of cultural properties, investment promotion,  tourism, and agriculture.

“We are identifying new opportunities to boost trade and investment flows in agriculture. Cambodia stands ready to contribute to the Philippine food security through rice supply as well as many other food products,” Manet said at the event.

Important partner

Marcos said he considers Cambodia as an “important partner” in ensuring the country’s food security especially after the signing of the MOU on Agricultural and Agribusiness Cooperation.

“I am pleased that we have come to an agreement to pursue stronger collaboration in agriculture and in agribusiness,” Marcos said.

“Accordingly, I expressed my hope for both Filipinos and Cambodians in the agricultural sector to actively participate in various programs under this agreement,” he added.

In 2023, the Philippines imported 2,500 tons of rice from Cambodia. It is the first time the former imported a significant quantity of rice from the latter since the signing of the Rice Tariffication Law in 2019.

During the 50th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean)-Australia Special Summit last year, President Marcos said they are considering signing a rice supply agreement with Phnom Penh.

Despite being a rice-producing country, the Philippines continues to import rice to meet domestic demand.

In January, the Bureau of Plant Industry projected the country will import 4.8 million metric tons (MT) of rice this year.

More trade, people exchanges

Aside from agriculture, Marcos said business exchanges between Manila and Phnom Penh also extend to trade and tourism.

At a business forum on Monday, local businesses met with their Cambodian counterparts to discuss possible collaborations.

To help facilitate such partnerships, the Board of Investments and the Council for the Development of Cambodia on Investment Promotions signed a Memorandum of Intent (MOI).

“I am confident that through this engagement, we will see more Filipinos investing in Cambodia, and more Cambodians investing in the Philippines,” Marcos said.

In anticipation of their increased trade, the Philippines and Cambodia signed MOUs on the Elimination of Double Taxation on Income and the Prevention of Tax Evasion as well as on Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and Government Digital Transformation.

When it comes to people-to-people exchange, both countries signed MOUs on Technical Vocational Education and Training and Tourism Cooperation.

Hun Manet said he hopes Marcos can persuade Philippine carriers to open more routes to Cambodia to increase the travel of workers and tourists between the two countries.

“Tourism and connectivity are crucial for promoting people-to-people exchange,” the Cambodian leader said.

Regional security

Marcos said he is also looking forward to a stronger cooperation with Cambodia against crime as well as military capacity-building following his bilateral talks with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet during the latter’s state visit to the country this week.

“We also comprehensively discussed our determined efforts to combat transnational crimes and protect our communities from unscrupulous individuals who take advantage of the industrious nature and strong sense of family of our peoples,” Marcos said.

The chief executive issued the statement after thanking Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni for granting Royal Pardon to 13 Filipinas arrested last year for engaging in surrogacy in Cambodia, where the practice is illegal.

The 13 Filipinas were repatriated inDecember shortly after they were given the Royal Pardon.

Marcos said the Philippines will support Cambodia in fighting such transnational crimes. Both countries already signed an MOU for the Prevention of Looting and Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property in line with the said commitment.

“Rest assured we will continue to stand with you in the fight against transnational crimes and their adverse effects on our peoples and on our communities,” Marcos said.

He said the partnership between the Philippines and Cambodia militaries and uniformed services will also translate to better “regional peace and security.”

Source : businessmirror